Big Ernie's Rib Shack

News Flash!!!
Early reports indicate that a roving BBQ mobile is parking at the Vista Family Fun Fest....End of message.

Sir what should we do? We don't have any BBQ agents assigned to that territory! Relax kid, the Good Bros are already on it.

Yup, even BBQ on wheels can't escape detection by the Good Bros. In this case, we have Big Ernie's Rib Shack. This one has been on our radar for a long time. We were just waiting for it to come out into the open.

Before we even had a chance to taste the food, we stood in awe of the cool BBQ rig that Big Ernie had parked here. Imagine a log cabin with a huge BBQ pit out on the patio, then throw some wheels under it, and you've got yourself a nice setup for making BBQ. Big Ernie and family are here to show us what this rig can do.

As we looked over the menu and looked in our wallets, we found that we didn't have enough cash on hand to put Big Ernie's through a full test. We're gonna have to eat now, get money, and eat later. So we order up a rib combo plate with coleslaw and beans, and a hot link sandwich. The ribs were nicely done with a good smoky aroma and just a tad bit of char on the outside. The interior meat on the ribs was nice and tender, but not falling off the bone. Nice. The side dishes however didn't keep pace with the ribs. The coleslaw was mushy and the beans were just OK. The hot link was showing signs of aging with plenty of wrinkles and well passed retirement. The flavor of the hot link didn't seem to be outstanding either.

After eating, we told Ernie and family that we would be back for more. We reloaded at a nearby ATM and then there were, back at Big Ernie's to try out the beef sandwich. They were surprised to see us again. I guess they confused the Good Bros with ordinary customers.

The beef was good BBQ, with a nice smoke ring on the outer perimeter of the meat. The bun though really dragged down the quality of the sandwich. Yup, a BK bun again. Sad. The BBQ sauce was homemade, but the flavor didn't strike us as outstanding, it was sweet but one-dimensional. I preferred not using the BBQ sauce after just a few tastes of it.

All in all, Big Ernie's has got a good thing going, but still needs some work. Over and out.

C-